1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printshop management scheduling routine which provides optimum scheduling of printer jobs on a network. The scheduling routine utilizes the total complex of printers available at local areas and/or remote locations to allocate and complete printer jobs based on a plurality of criteria.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,829 to Freedman discloses an automated printing control system for printing of a work. The system comprises a first terminal adapted for use by a requester to request work to be printed and to receive information concerning parameters for the printing of the work. A second terminal is adapted for use by a printing facility for receiving information concerning the printing of the work. A computer is in communication with the first and second terminals and interacts with both concerning pricing and administration. Parameters such as what type of work is to be printed, format, size, quantity, etc. are input through the first terminal. All of the parameters are used by the computer to develop cost information using pricing strategies based on available printing equipment or facilities. The requester then receives information regarding the pricing, timing, etc. and is given the opportunity to select a particular printing facility to complete the job. Once the facility is selected, the computer authorizes proceeding with printing of the job.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,878 to Gore discloses a remote plotting system in which a plot server computer is programmed to receive plot requests in a common spooling area sent from other workstations in a network, performing rasterization of data, and scheduling resulting plots to the first available plotter based on a round robin scheduling scheme.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,476,486, 4,521,805 and 4,527,885, all to Ayata et al., disclose an image recording system which utilizes a plurality of recording units within a recording apparatus. If more than one copy is requested, the copy job is divided among the available recording units to provide parallel printing. According to another aspect, each recording unit can be of a different type, i.e., a high speed black and white copier and a color copier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,532 to Asano discloses a recording apparatus having a plurality of recording units. If more than one copy is requested, the copy job is divided among the available recording units to provide parallel printing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,071 to Jones discloses a diverse input system for electrostatically reproducing and recording information.
Xerox Disclosure Journal, Vol. 16, No. 6, November 1991, Pgs. 381-383, discloses integration of a slower color printer with a higher speed black only printer to output collated job sets of black only copy sheets with color inserts at a rate at or near the full normal high speed copying rate of the high speed black only printer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,089 to Beilinski et al. discloses an apparatus and protocol for a local area network. The network comprises a plurality of computers connected to a corresponding plurality of network controllers. In turn, each network controller is coupled to a corresponding I/O device such as a printer, plotter or modem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,345 to Paradise et al. discloses a queue management system for a multi-function copier, printer and facsimile machine. Queue management between copying, printing and facsimile jobs is accomplished on a strict FIFO order or a modified FIFO order in which facsimile jobs are deferred.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,806 to Reed et al. discloses an electronic reprographic printing system that allows sending of messages with print jobs from remote user workstations to a central machine. The messages can be displayed on a User Interface.